Rock & Rule – 1983 Cult Animated Rock Opera with Music by Cheap Trick, Debbie Harry, Lou Reed & Iggy Pop – Watch HD Fan-Edit of Original Cut

This is a fan-edit reconstructing the original Canadian uncut version using high quality video from the American release combined with audio and cut scenes from an old video master of the original. The negatives for the Canadian cut were lost in a fire, so although the original footage presented here is lower quality, it’s the best print source known to exist.

Unfortunately, there are a few glitches in the YouTube upload, but for the most part it looks great. There’s also a torrent out there that I assume is free of glitches.

Plot: Taking place in a post-apocalyptic United States populated by mutant humanoids, a malevolent rock star kidnaps a female singer to force her to participate in the summoning of a demon. Her band must help her stop him.

Because of scenes involving drug use, implied devil worship, and mild sexuality, the film could only be marketed to an adult audience. It is often compared to Heavy Metal, although it’s a bit more family friendly.

The movie features songs by Cheap Trick, Chris Stein and Debbie Harry of the pop group Blondie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Earth, Wind & Fire. It was produced and directed by Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith of Nelvana animation studio.

Nelvana produced many well known animated series including Care Bears, Babar, The Adventures of Tintin, Beetlejuice, Eek! The Cat and The Terrible Thunderlizards. The studio also animated The Faithful Wookiee, a 10 minute segment for The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) which introduced the character Boba Fett prior to his film debut in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980). They created the animatronic talking turtle for ¡Three Amigos! as well.

Illustration by Fernando Peniche

For both versions of the film along with commentary, “making of” segments and more, check out the Rock & Rule 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray.